Task/Question

If there is anything that you do not understand about this assignment brief once you have read it fully, or you have any concerns about it, please contact the Module Leader immediately. Their name and contact details are at the top of this brief.   This assignment is an opportunity for you to develop your academic voice through the creation of a research project proposal and a piece of reflective writing on the development process.   The main purpose of this assignment is for you to create a project plan for a major research project. You may want to consider a topic that could be used for your 7020MAPA Research and Practice Portfolio, but this is not required.

Your submission will also include a brief reflective essay that critically reflects on your process.   Deliverables: 1.     Research project plan; 2.     A 500 word critical reflection of the development of your researcher identity in relation to your defined topic.

 

Additional Information

Research Proposal Required Elements and Approximate Word Counts:  (proposal should be 2000 – 2500 words in total, not including the Works Cited, Schedule, or Bibliography)   •       Title of project •       Thesis statement •       Abstract (200 – 300) •       Research context/background (500 – 700) •       Research questions (100) •       Methodologies (400 – 500) •       Ethical considerations (100) •       Importance/significance of research (200 – 300) •       3 month schedule of work •       Dissemination options (100 – 200) •       Works Cited in the proposal (APA format) •       Bibliography of relevant sources (APA format)   Critical Reflection Piece: •       500 words critically reflecting on the process of creating a major research proposal and situating your researcher identity in relation to your topic •       Consider how your subjectivity might impact your project’s potential outcome

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module Learning Outcomes		Assessed in this assignment?
LO1:	Consider the embodied and sensory concerns of the researcher (e.g. sensory, kinaesthetic, affective) and the wider socio-political and global world in which contemporary methods sit	Yes
LO2	Know how to use practical tools ethically and understand their place in a wider context that ask the researcher to make decisions about representation (of self and other), and respond accordingly	Yes
LO3	Work at different cognitive levels that show an understanding of the practical, ethical, and abstract/theoretical thought, and negotiate these in line with your developing researcher identity	Yes
LO4	Demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge industry and how this is informed by digital contexts	Yes
LO5	Understand the principles and practices of professional uses of digital methods to disseminate ideas	Yes
You will find full details of how these Learning Outcomes will be assessed by this assignment in the marking rubric at the end of this brief. You should read this as it explains how submitted work achieves certain grades.  It will be useful in preparing your assignment as well as in understanding your feedback.

 

Marking Process and Feedback

All work will be graded by Melissa Avdeeff and subject to a moderation process. You will be assessed based on the standard to which you complete the learning objectives of the module, in tandem with the Coventry University graduate grading scale descriptions.

Ethics

The ethical issues associated with this assignment brief will be covered during the module teaching and are overseen by the module staff team. The work that you will carry out on this module does not require you to obtain individual ethical clearance for your individual project. However, during discussion with your module tutor, if it is felt that individual ethical authorization is needed, you will be advised of the process and the deadline for obtaining it.

 

If ethical authorization is not obtained by the deadline, you will not be able to proceed with the project. If you do so without clearance, the project will not be accepted for submission, will not be marked and you may face disciplinary penalties.

 

For full details of the University’s policy on ethics, please click here. The CU Ethics portal can be found here.

 

Extensions and Mitigating Circumstances

We want you to do your best in each assessment. However, we know that sometimes events happen that are either beyond your control or not easy to predict and which mean that you will not be able to submit your coursework by the deadline. If this happens, you can apply for an extension to your deadline according to our regulations.  If you need longer than the extension window, you can apply for a deferral, which takes you to the next assessment period. You must apply for an extension or a deferral before the assignment deadline stated on SONIC.

Apply for an extension or deferral at: mitigation.fah@coventry.ac.uk or by speaking in person to a member of the Registry Team.

Find information about the process and what is/is not considered to be an event beyond your control here.

Please note: under no circumstances are module staff allowed to give unofficial extensions.

 

Late or non-submission

You must make every effort to submit the best work possible prior to the deadline. If your assignment is submitted online please do not leave it until the last minute to submit. Aim to several hours prior the deadline, or earlier, in case you have any problems submitting.

If you fail to submit work for the module or submit an assessed piece of work late without an agreed extension, you will receive a mark of 0% for that piece of work, even if it is only a few minutes late. You will however be eligible for a re-sit attempt at the next available assessment opportunity where, if you pass, your mark will be capped at 40%.

If you fail the resit assignment, or do not hand in any submission, you one further resit attempt at the assignment.  After a second failed/non-submitted resit attempt you will have failed the module. This may have an impact on your ability to progress on your course and/or on your final marks for your degree.

If you fail this assignment on the first submission, the resit brief for the module can be found on the module’s Moodle space. Read this brief carefully and book a tutorial with the Module Leader to ensure that you are clear about what you need to do to pass the module at the next resit opportunity.  

Academic Misconduct

We expect all students to act with academic integrity, which means that they will study and produce work in an open, honest and responsible manner.

 

Academic misconduct covers any action by a student to gain unfair advantage (e.g. extra marks) for her/himself, or for another student, in their assessed work. It not only damages your personal reputation, but also the reputation of the entire university, and it will not be tolerated at Coventry University. There are severe penalties for students who are found guilty of academic misconduct ranging from obtaining a mark of 0% for the piece of work concerned, through to exclusion from the University.

 

Many modules require you to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the work of others (artists, makers, practitioners, academics, designers, performers, etc.). It is vital that you make it absolutely clear when you are using work from other sources, and that you reference it clearly and correctly. If you are unsure how to reference, please refer to the CU Harvard Referencing Guide here and speak to a tutor on the module immediately. Support for correct referencing can also be found though the Centre for Academic Writing (CAW).

 

For full details of what constitutes academic dishonesty and how to avoid it, please see the section in the Faculty Student Handbook, available on your course’s Moodle space.

 

 

Assessment Criteria

There are standard University Assessment criteria that you can use to assist with understanding the mark you receive for this assignment.

 

The criteria that are specific to this assignment are as follows:

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES	EXPECTATIONS
Consider the embodied and sensory concerns of the researcher (e.g. sensory, kinaesthetic, affective) and the wider sociopolitical and global world in which contemporary methods sit	•     You critically reflect on your researcher identity, the wider socio-political positioning of your identity, and the potential impact of your subjectivities in the research process
Know how to use practical tools ethically and understand their place in a wider context that ask the researcher to make decisions about representation (of self and other), and respond accordingly	•     You consider the ethical implications of your research project, and articulate how you would conduct your work in a way that recognizes the wider contexts and structures that the work exists within
Work at different cognitive levels that show an understanding of the practical, ethical, and abstract/theoretical thought, and negotiate these in line with your developing researcher identity	•     Content demonstrates an understanding of the module materials that goes beyond description. You make connections between texts, outside materials, and your own perspective throughout the proposal, and critical reflection.
Demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge industry and how this is informed by digital contexts	• Your work engages with the politics of knowledge production within (post)digital culture
Understand the principles and practices of professional uses of digital methods to disseminate ideas	•       Your critical reflection and project proposal are well-written and connect your experiences to research •       You identify an appropriate publicfacing option for sharing the potential outcome of your research project